** Please consider volunteering as your child's coach for this season **
No experience or courses required - full training overview provided and support available from the LTPD coordinator.  Signal your intention to volunteer during the registration process.

Please arrive a few minutes early so your player is ready to participate at the scheduled program start time.

*Program Dates may be affected by situations beyond our control (for example Covid, or inclement weather/field closures by township). Although we do our best to run all weeks, the total number number of sessions is not guaranteed.

*Programming will not occur on long weekends - Saturday June 29, Sunday June 30 and Saturday August 3, Sunday August 4.

Program Details

Please join us for a high energy, fun filled session for your little one that will kick off their journey in sport and will introduce and/or build upon the beginning concepts within soccer. We use fun games and interactive activities to further develop players’ balance, coordination, movement, ability to follow more
complex instructions, as we work to increase both their  independence and collaboration skills. This will be your player’s first introduction to the concept of smaller sided scrimmages. Sessions are 45 min in length and are formatted as follows (all times are approximate): warm-up (5 min), skills development –
typically broken down into 2-4 activities (20-30min), small-sided scrimmage (5-7 min), water/rest breaks (as needed) throughout session. Please note the small-sided soccer games will not be played every single week, especially at the start of the season as we work towards orienting players to our coaches, other players, and the initial concepts within soccer.

All sessions take a holistic approach to developing our young athletes focusing on the "Four Corner" Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model which consists of technical, psychological, physical, and social/emotional components. The Four Corner approach places the player at the center of the development process with soccer experiences that meet their four key needs. By implementing the LTPD philosophy, supported by good coaching methodology, players will benefit from, and enjoy practice sessions more. All sessions will focus on player development in a low stress, supportive, positive, fun, and safe environment.

Uniforms

Registration includes a full uniform which includes a team shirt, shorts, and socks. These will be handed out on the first day when players will meet their coaches and program leader.

Equipment

Shin guards are MANDATORY equipment for your player. Players must wear either running shoes or soccer cleats. All players are provided with a ball to use during each session.

Medical Form

Each player needs a medical form on file in case of emergencies.

Photo Day - June 15, 2024

Each registered player will receive one free group and one free individual photo. The schedule will be posted on the RFC website and will be sent via email to all registrants. Please note there are no retake or alternate days.

Weather Policy

Our soccer program runs rain or shine. Please check our RFC website home page, your email and club social media sites for up-to-date information on cancellations and field closures. Soccer can be cancelled for the following reasons:

• Thunder and/or Lightning at the field - In the event of thunder and/or lightning, RFC adheres to the Canada Soccer Lightning Safety / Severe Weather Policy. The decision to suspend a session and/or game will be made by senior referees (for matches) and head coaches (for training), and they are advised to take a “better safe than sorry” approach during electrical storms. All parties are advised to take shelter in a safe location right away and club activities must not resume until 30 minutes after the last thunder or lightning.
• Excessive rain - Our township determines field status daily by 2pm – and may opt to close fields as necessary to prevent damage to the playing surfaces)

Training sessions suspended or cancelled due to inclement weather will not be rescheduled.

We do not cancel soccer during heat alerts. Our coaches and officials will have players take more frequent breaks to ensure that they stay properly hydrated. Please always make sure your player has water at the fields. If you forget your water bottle, there is a water refilling station over by the washrooms.

Parental Supervision

This age group requires that a parent/guardian MUST be on-site (i.e., at the field) each week. Should you need to leave the area (i.e., take another child to the bathroom, run to your car etc.) please ensure that you designate another parent (not one of your coaches) to keep an eye on your player. Our coaches’ responsibility is to ensure that each player has a great time at soccer – they are not babysitters. 

Jewelry

For safety, all jewelry, except for medical alert bracelets and necklaces, must be removed prior to soccer, including piercings. Activity Trackers or ‘Fit Bits’ may not be worn.

Still have questions after checking our Programs and FAQ pages?  Please reach out to Rockwood FC below.